Electric Cars At Auto Expo 2020: Mahindra eKUV100, eXUV300, Renault K-ZE, Kia Soul EV & More

Updated: Tuesday, February 11, 2020, 9:29 [IST]

The Indian automotive industry is slowly moving towards electric mobility. Many brands in India are beginning to introduce electric vehicles in India; either an EV version of one of their existing models or just new models in general.

Having said this, what better place to showcase a brand's electric vehicle than at the Auto Expo 2020. The Motor Show held in India once every two years in Greater Noida started on the 7th of February and will go on till the 12th of the month.

Many manufacturers have taken this opportunity to showcase/unveil their electric cars at the Auto Expo. This could either be in the form of an EV version of one of the existing models from the brand's lineup, or a completely new product.

Here are some of the top electric vehicles showcased at the Auto Expo 2020. (Arranged in no particular order)

Mahindra eKUV100

Mahindra launched the eKUV100 in the Indian market at the Auto Expo 2020. The new mini electric-SUV is now the most affordable EV available in the Indian market, offered with a price tag starting at Rs 8.25 lakh, ex-showroom (Delhi).

The Mahindra eKUV100 is based on the standard KUV100 mini-SUV, although it does come with a number of subtle updates and changes. The eKUV100 is powered by 40kW electric motor paired with a 15.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

It produces 53bhp and 120Nm of peak torque and offers a maximum range of 120km on a single charge. Mahindra will be providing both standard and fast-charging technology for the eKUV100.

Mahindra eXUV300

Mahindra unveiled the eXUV300 at the Auto Expo, alongside the launch of the eKUV100. The new Mahindra eXUV300 was in the pipeline for quite a while, with the electric vehicle having its first debut at the Auto Expo.

Mahindra is scheduled to bring the eXUV300 to the Indian market, sometime around early-2021. The Mahindra eXUV300 is powered by an electric motor driving the front wheels, producing 130bhp of power output and having a maximum range of 300km from its 40kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Once launched in India, the Mahindra eXUV300 will directly rival the likes of the recently introduced Tata Nexon EV.

Renault K-ZE (or Renault Kwid Electric)

Renault also had quite the lineup at the Auto Expo 2020. Among the large lineup, Renault showcased the K-ZE, which is expected to arrive in India as the ‘Kwid electric. The Renault Kwid electric or the K-ZE is expected to go on sale sometime later this year.

The small electric hatchback from Renault is powered by a 26.8kWh lithium-ion battery paired with an electric motor producing 44bhp and 125Nm of peak torque. The batteries on the Renault K-ZE offer a maximum range of 271km on a single charge; with both standard and fast-charging options available.

Renault ZOE EV

Along with the K-ZE electric hatchback, Renault also brought in the popular ZOE EV to Auto Expo 2020. The Renault ZOE EV is the smallest hatchback offering in the European market, with no plans of bringing it to the Indian market just yet.

The Renault ZOE EV is powered by a 52kWh lithium-ion battery pack mated to an electric motor capable of producing 134bhp and 245Nm of torque. Renault claims that the ZOE EV offers a maximum range of 385km on a single charge, with a top speed of 140km/h. The ZOE also offers incredible performance figures, with a 0 - 100km/h time of 9.5 seconds.

Tata Altroz EV

Tata Motors first showcased the EV version of its premium hatchback, the Altroz at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The company has now brought the Altroz EV to the Auto Expo 2020, creating quite a buzz among the visitors. The Tata Altroz EV is expected to go on sale in India soon, although an exact timeline for its launch is yet to be announced.

The Tata Altroz EV will be the second model to be powered by the brand's Ziptron technology, which currently powers the Nexon EV. This means that the Altroz EV will receive the same 30.2kWh lithium-ion battery as the Nexon producing 129bhp and 245Nm of peak torque. The range could be similar as well at 300km on a single charge.

MG Marvel X

The Marvel X from MG Motors was unveiled at the Auto Expo 2020, mainly to showcase the technological capabilities of the brand to the Indian market. The MG Marvel X is the production-spec version of the Vision-E concept of the brand, first showcased at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show. The car features a host of tech, along with being the first model from the brand to achieve level-3 intelligent autonomous driving.

The MG Marvel X is powered by a 52.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack, mated to two electric motors; one at each axle. The electric motors produce a combined total of 184bhp, with a maximum range of 400km on a single charge. MG has confirmed that this model will not be coming to India anytime soon.

Kia Soul EV

Kia Motors brought in their Soul EV to the Auto Expo 2020 to showcase their expertise in the EV segment. The Kia Soul EV is among the popular electric vehicle offerings from the brand in the international market.

The Kia Soul EV comes powered by a 39.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack mated to an electric motor producing 136bhp. This is essentially the same powertrain which can also be found on the India-spec Hyundai Kona EV. Again, this model is not expected to arrive in the Indian market anytime soon.

Volkswagen I.D. Crozz

The Volkswagen I.D. Crozz is the German brand's all-electric crossover SUV offering, which has been showcased at the Auto Expo 2020. The Volkswagen I.D.Crozz comes with a 4MOTION all-wheel-drive electric powertrain producing 301bhp while offering a maximum range of 500km on a single charge.

The I.D is the new sub-brand of Volkswagen exclusively for its electric portfolio. It also marks the beginning of the production of EVs from the brand, which is investing heavily in the segment in the coming years. According to reports, by 2024 the company estimates to have invested a total of 33 billion Euros to its electric mobility portfolio.

Great Wall Motors R1

The R1 electric hatchback was part of Great Wall Motor's extensive product showcase at the Auto Expo 2020. The small electric hatchback, perfect for city driving, due to its compact dimensions and feature-packed interiors. However, this isn't coming to India.

The Great Wall Motors R1 is currently sold in China at a price tag equivalent to Rs 6.7 lakhs, ex-showroom; making it the most affordable EV in the world at the moment. It comes powered by a 33kWh lithium-ion battery pack producing 47bhp and 125Nm of torque, with a top speed of 100km/h.